EPL

Liverpool 'legend' Salah underappreciated by outside world, says Van Dijk

By Sports Desk April 23, 2023

Mohamed Salah's goalscoring feats are underappreciated by those outside Liverpool, believes his Reds team-mate Virgil van Dijk.

Salah scored his 183rd goal for Liverpool to clinch a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, after Neco Williams and Morgan Gibbs-White struck to cancel out Diogo Jota's brace.

The Egyptian's close-range finish saw him match Robbie Fowler's goal tally for Liverpool in 71 fewer appearances, taking him to joint-sixth in the club's all-time scoring charts.

Salah has scored 27 goals across all competitions during an underwhelming season for Liverpool, and he now has Steven Gerrard's total of 186 goals for the Reds in his sights.

Asked about Salah's goalscoring exploits after Saturday's win, Van Dijk suggested the forward is underrated by those not of a Red persuasion. 

"Most of the players here have contributed to winning big trophies. Mo will definitely be seen as a legend. He's such an important player," Van Dijk told reporters.

"At a later stage, I think the things he's done will be appreciated a lot more by the outside world.

"For us, we appreciate everything he does day in, day out. We see all the hard work that he puts in. He just has to keep it going."

Having also scored in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal before grabbing a brace in a 6-1 thrashing of Leeds United, Salah has now netted in three successive Premier League games for the first time since October 2021 (during a run of seven).

Meanwhile, only Ollie Watkins (14) and Erling Haaland (13) have bettered his return of 12 Premier League goal involvements since the turn of the year.

Liverpool remain nine points adrift of the top four despite winning back-to-back games, and Van Dijk says the team's below-par campaign has been an eye-opener.

"We are very privileged. We're going out there, performing for one of the biggest clubs in the world," he said. "This season, at times, you have to remind yourself that we're really blessed.

"Everyone wants to win, no one wants to make mistakes and lose. We have been very successful over the years.

"We just need to find that joy. I'm certainly happy and buzzing to be out there, trying to get good results to put a run together."

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    Jarell Quansah is relishing playing alongside Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool’s defence in a breakthrough season he admits has “exceeded all expectations”.

    Twenty-one-year-old Reds academy product Quansah, who was on loan at Bristol Rovers last season, came off the bench to make his Liverpool first-team debut in August.

    He has played a further 24 times for the Merseysiders in all competitions, and started each of the last four games, including the 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester City and 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final loss at Manchester United, partnering Van Dijk at centre-back in both matches.

    Quansah – also a League Cup winner in the past few weeks – has been referred to as “Virgil 2.0” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, and the England Under-21 international said: “A massive compliment.

    “I think what he (Van Dijk) has been doing over the past five or 10 years has been unrivalled, especially in the Premier League. He’s had flawless seasons, he’s been a vital part of what Liverpool’s identity has been. So to play next to him is so good and I can learn so much from him.

    “There’s times where he’s constructive and just says it how it is and tells me what I need to improve on, and there’s times where, especially on the pitch because the crowd’s loud, he needs to shout and make examples in different ways.

    “You can’t go much wrong if you just listen to what he’s saying! He’s always in your ear, always talking, which is so helpful.”

    Quansah has also expressed his gratitude to Klopp, who is departing at the end of the season.

    He said: “I think you’ve got to see it as what he’s done for you and not the fact that he’s leaving, the opportunity he has given you, how much you’ve learnt from him.

    “For me Jurgen is leaving, probably too early, but I get to play under a new manager and take his advice, and I’m thankful for everything he’s done for me.”

    Quansah has been with Liverpool since he was five years old, while his international experience, prior to being called up to the Under-21s this season, included helping England Under-19s become European champions in 2022.

    Asked about his emergence this term, Quansah said: “It’s been a lot of games, a surprise from what I expected really – it’s exceeded all expectations, to say the least.

    “I probably haven’t had a ‘pinch myself’ moment – I think for me it’s just all about playing football, and it’s what I’ve been doing since I was five.

    “Although the level has increased it’s just what I’ve been doing and what I enjoy. I’ve been striving for it and waiting for the opportunity and I’m thankful it’s come.

    “When you’re younger you have all these aspirations, sometimes stupid aspirations of being the best player in the world.

    “I think just being able to be in the position I’m in at the minute and learn from some of the best managers and players in the world hopefully puts me in good stead for the future. That is the goal, to be a starting centre-back for Liverpool and be in contention for England.

    “I’m just learning the whole time. Hopefully in the summer I’ll get that moment where I’ll be like ‘it’s been a good year-and-a-half’. But I’m not the finished product. I’m not really reflecting on my career and thinking how good I’ve been because I can be so much better.”

    On going up against Erling Haaland in the City match, Quansah said: “I think you sleep better after the game, you’re mentally drained! You have to just be on top of everything at every moment really. I was really, really focused.”

    After the subsequent frustration of the “massive opportunity missed” in the cup tie at United, Quansah played in England Under-21s’ 7-0 Euro 2025 qualifying win over Luxembourg on Tuesday ahead of Liverpool resuming their league title push with Sunday’s home clash with Brighton.

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    Spurs announced earlier this month they would visit Australia after the Premier League season concludes to take on Premier League rivals Newcastle in an exhibition fixture.

    The Melbourne Cricket Ground clash on May 22 has been roundly criticised due to player welfare concerns and for a lack of regard for the environment, a matter of weeks after Green Football Weekend.

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    Postecoglou defended the merits of the post-season friendly, which will see the 58-year-old return to his home city.

    “We leave straight after the last game (at Sheffield United) and we’ll be taking everyone who’s fit,” Postecoglou revealed.

    “We thought that with our season being so disrupted and not a lot of games, this was a unique opportunity for us.

    “I wouldn’t see this as something that would happen on a regular basis unless we felt the benefits would outweigh the costs.

    “On this occasion when we balanced everything up, we felt it was a good opportunity to take the club to the other side of the world and help us continue to grow the football club.”

    England boss Gareth Southgate was recently asked about the friendly, which will involve Euro 2024 hopefuls Kieran Trippier, Anthony Gordon and James Maddison, and predicted post-season fixtures will happen more often.

    Southgate expressed his hope that none of his players would suffer injuries.

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    “I was a national team manager. I used to sweat over it at the weekend when the players were playing whether that was a normal game, a friendly game, whatever game it is.

    “The flip side of that is there were quite a few club coaches on edge with national team duty this week so it’s the world we live in.

    “There has to be a balance. We’ve thought it through as a football club and it’s fair to say if we’d been in Europe and had a really big season, we probably would have made a different decision.

    “We weighed everything up and felt like there was a real benefit to playing this game.”

    Before the trip Down Under, Spurs will aim to get their Champions League qualification hopes back on track at home to Luton on Saturday.

    Tottenham are boosted by the return of Micky van de Ven after a recent muscle injury, while Richarlison is fit despite a knee issue preventing him from getting minutes for Brazil this month.

    Richarlison has made headlines after opening up about his mental health struggles during an interview with ESPN Brasil this week.

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    “I guess it’s striking because players or managers or people involved in football haven’t come out publicly before.

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    “More importantly it’s hopefully a great conduit for others to reach out and seek help when it’s required.”

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    “There will always (an) issue – you like it, to talk about. Of course we have different interests, but we are not focusing on that.

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    “Of course he knows there is a lot of competition in his position,” Ten Hag said.

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    “Absolutely he wants to contribute and he wants to perform.”

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